<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>are we the bad guys? by Marianne_Dashwood</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28719333">are we the bad guys?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marianne_Dashwood/pseuds/Marianne_Dashwood'>Marianne_Dashwood</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>the hope that you provide [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Achievement Hunter Kings, Alternate Universe - Minecraft, Angst, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, King Geoff Ramsey, Revolution, they/them Lindsay</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:01:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,044</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28719333</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marianne_Dashwood/pseuds/Marianne_Dashwood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The kings of old start a revolution, and re-evaluate their priorities</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Can be read as romantic jaeoff but up to you!, Jack Pattillo &amp; Geoff Ramsey, Lindsay Tuggey Jones/Michael Jones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>the hope that you provide [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2105376</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>are we the bad guys?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>yeah i got into dream smp<br/>what of it</p><p>basically im still an og minecraft youtuber sap at heart, and well. I borrowed a few plot points and turns out there's uh, a lot of similarities to make a plot out of (team g, anyone?????). I'm sure anyone who knows both will know what part inspired this fic</p><p>This will be part of a series of one-shots cos I don't have the mental capacity to actually write another chaptered fic (i just started a masters and this is gonna be an outlet whenever I can basically) </p><p>A note about "The Tyrant King" - I'm never going to actually name a certain someone, and for all intents and purposes this will remain a faceless and voiceless OC villian to make the plot work. You'll never get a POV, and there will be no sympathetic qualities or real backstory to the villian. You can take this as you will.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The base was small; Geoff wouldn’t go as far as to call it headquarters just yet, seeing as it was just him and Jack inside. But Jack being Jack, at least it was cozy; lanterns hung from the rafters of the abandoned mineshaft that they had claimed as their own, their beds were tucked up in a corner that was secured by iron doors and meant that even if the spiders were brave enough to come their way, they couldn’t get them at night. It also meant that any of their pursuers came after them, they would have a bit of time to make their escape. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the day, they expanded, stocked up; Jack went deep into the earth, to mine materials to replace the meger tools that they had managed to bring with them. Geoff went over maps and plans of Achievement City, hating that he was trying to find weakness in the very place he helped to create. At night, they curled under the thin blankets of the makeshift beds as Geoff tried to plot the course of how they had ended up from castles to caves. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first thing Geoff always came too was that he never wanted to be King. He founded Achieveland, helped to build many of the buildings that still stood, and King was a title that he had been given, rather than one he had claimed for himself. He liked to think his reign had been peaceful. He liked to think he had been a good ruler, a good leader. But he doesn’t think he could ever forgive himself for the legacy that he had left behind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The games were supposed to be fun. They were supposed to show that a leader wasn’t afraid to get their hands dirty, digging in the mud for gold ingots that Geoff had hidden the night before, or recovering and building projects that could help the kingdom. Even some of the combat trials were never meant to be bloody, just fighting a few zombies or spiders to show prowess. It was supposed to give people the best leaders they could possibly have. And for a little while, it had. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Until, well. Until they were forced to leave. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was two weeks after their impromptu holiday from Achievement City when they got their first visitors. It was like a fireball was dropped into the fragile peace of their home, when Lindsay and Michael burst through their (metaphorical) doors. Michael was raging and Lindsay was deadly quiet, clutching their crossbow so hard their knuckles were white. It took several attempts to try and interpret Michael’s fury into something approximating the English language, but even then it was Lindsay who finally, in a voice so unlike their own, spoke up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was Gavin. He… He banished us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What.” Geoff’s voice was flat, disbelieving. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That fucking piece of shit, I’m gonna beat his nose right off his face, that fucking prick-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael,” Jack placed a hand on Michael’s arm, and Michael glares at him with an anger that isn't really directed at Jack, and Jack turns to Lindsay, “Tell us what happened.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It comes out in fits and starts; Gavin, the golden right hand of the king, carrying out the tyrant’s orders with barely a word. Gavin, who Geoff has known since he was a whirlwind of arms and legs, with the only thing that could keep pace with him being his own mouth. He’s never known Gavin to be silent, not like this. Not when his best friend was on the line. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, the couple explain the state of Achievement City as they left it. Cold empty streets, only warmed by the small acts of arson that for some reason keep happening to the King’s stores specifically, the redstone taken and scattered all over the streets so that it’s entirely unusable, burning down the street in a brief and violent parade. Michael grinned as he recounted it, but it was a wild, almost unhinged grin. It reminded Geoff of when all that was Michael was Mogar, all that he was was anger and rage and the untamed savageness of the wilds he had been born in. Before he met Gavin, before he met Lindsay and they turned it less into destruction and more into chaotic creation. Of course, there was destruction too, but it was steered. Directed, controllable. No longer, Geoff supposed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They tell of Trevor and Alfredo; the previous advisor and the best knight in the city, keeping their heads down, trying to help the population where they could without being accused of anything treasonous. Which, of course, is exactly what happened to Michael and Lindsay, who have never been less than subtle. No one has seen Fiona since the coronation, and there are rumors that she contacted Ify for aid, but nothing is certain. Geoff watches as the mention of his daughter makes Jack stiffen, though no one else seems to notice. Jeremy, like Gavin, remained loyal to the throne, but has been more vocal about disagreeing with orders given to him. He appears to have a little more lee-way; Geoff knows that the people would riot if anything happened to the People’s Champion. In any case, there’s no way that Jeremy would abandon Matt. He’s the one that left the redstone storage open, or at least the Jones’ think he did. Maybe they aren’t entirely devoid of allies in Achievement City. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time the pair of them have finished their recounting of events, Michael still seethed but it has been reduced to the occasional curse words rather than his full-blown shouting. Lindsay has recovered some of their lost mirth, and even smiled when Jack handed them both warm mugs of milk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This place is a shithole,” Michael said, and Geoff knocked the back of his head, causing him to choke on his milk and begin to cough. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The shithole where we are offering you a place to stay, asshole,” Jack said, and Lindsay elbowed their husband. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be polite, we’re guests!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This started off a round of familiar bickering, that left Geoff with a fond ache in his chest. The moment one of them yawns, Jack is on them like a mother bear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, you two, revolution doesn’t come to the sleep deprived,” Jack said, motioning them to stand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Geoff noted, with only a little surprise, that Jack had already carved out other rooms and populated them with beds. Trust Jack to be both optimistic and pessimistic all at the same time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael caught his arm as Lindsay was led away by Jack. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Geoff…” The other man swallowed, and Geoff was struck by how young he still was. He’d known him for so long, it was easy to forget, “We’ll take this bastard down. We’re behind you, man. We’ll put the right people back in charge.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael didn’t seem to notice how Geoff froze at that, as he followed the other two with a slouch to his shoulders that said more than he ever needed too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Geoff stood there for a long time before he could bring himself to move. He had to do something, to stop the thoughts in his head, and settled on working on their supply of weapons and armour. He didn’t look up when Jack re-entered, and settled down on the chair next to him to fiddle with some carving or other. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s good that they’re here,” Jack said, quietly, “I was worried about them getting hurt back in the city. They’ve never been good at keeping their heads down. They weren't made for it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you talking about both of them or just Lindsay?” Geoff asked, but there must have been something in his voice that make Jack stop and stand up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Geoff,” He said, and Geoff felt his presence behind him, and put down the diamond sword that he had been fruitlessly working on, “What is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jack,” Geoff said, pausing so he could try and articulate exactly how he was feeling, “Jack, are we the bad guys?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>What</em>?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Think about it, really think about it, Jack. We lost everything, and it’s my fault. I set up the games, let anyone compete, all of it. It worked well for a little while but then, it… It’s the whole reason that there is a tyrant in charge of the kingdom we built. And if we go against him… if we try and undermine the laws that we ourselves put in… Aren’t we just the villains?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Geoff, Geoff, </span>
  <em>
    <span>no</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Jack said, reaching out and taking Geoff’s hand, “He’s a tyrant, a madman, he’s hurting people. We can’t let that stand.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Legally, he can do whatever he wants,” Geoff said, “He’s the king, Jack, and bad guys, they fight kings. They bring down kingdoms. Even if we won this, this revolution, what authority would we have? What authority but the one drawn in blood? We would be leading a coup, Jack.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A coup against a dictator, Geoff,” Jack said, insistent, “He’s hurting our friends. Our </span>
  <em>
    <span>people</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And do we bring more war? More destruction? Are we gonna hurt these people too just to get a crown back that we willingly gave up?” Geoff shot back, “Michael already looks to me like I’m going to be king again. But if we go to war for this crown…” Geoff looked up, meeting Jack’s eyes and squeezing his hand tightly, “What makes us any different to him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Geoff,” Jack said, and it was only a little heartbroken, only slightly desperate, as he pulled his friend into a hug, “Geoff, you’re not him. You could never be him. No, don’t argue with me,” Jack leaned back, still gripping Geoff tightly and giving him an admonishing look, “No matter what, you’d never hurt our friends like this. You’d never hurt your people like this. Geoff, what did you say to me after your coronation?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been a beautiful day. The sun had shone and flower petals twisted in the air and everywhere Geoff had looked, he had been surrounded by friends and smiling faces. And yet, Jack had found him, sitting in the kitchen, staring at an unopened casket of ale. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack had consoled him then, told him that he was worthy of the crown, and more importantly, it was a burden that he wouldn’t face alone. They were all with him. Still the words he had felt that day still echoed in his mind, and they echoed as he whispered them into the ruined mineshaft that had become their home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to be king,” Geoff said, and somehow, this made Jack smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly,” He said, and gently, in that way that Jack moved that made everything in the world seem okay, if only for a little while, he pressed a kiss to Geoff’s forehead, “You’re not like him, Geoff. You’re not doing this for power, or even for the kingdom. You’re doing this for the people, and for your friends.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Geoff’s mind flashed to Gavin, to Jeremy, whatever they may be doing, whatever they may be feeling, still working for a tyrant, “What if they’re not our friends anymore?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack’s face grew colder, but instead of cruelty or anger, there was only determination, “They are our friends. And we’ll get them back. Because, Geoff, </span>
  <em>
    <span>we are not the bad guys</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Geoff nodded slowly, and Jack seemed to see that he wasn’t entirely convinced. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on. Bed. We have a long fight ahead of us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jack led him to their tiny room behind two iron doors, and as long as Jack was by his side, then it almost felt like he was back at the castle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But the fact was, that he wasn’t. And Geoff, as much as he loved Jack’s optimism, he knew that it wasn’t always as simple as Jack made it out to be. He wished it could be, but Jack had always been the one to hope for the best, and thus, it was down to Geoff to be the one to plan for the worst. So, curled up under the blankets, the maps of Achievement City still clear in his head, and a sickening feeling in his gut, Geoff began to make a plan that he hoped he never ever would have to use. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Come say hi over at @MJDashwood on twitter or marianne-dash-wood.tumblr.com :D</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>